Colostomy garment



Jan. 14, 1969 ,1, EM ET AL 3,421,505

COLOSTOMY GARMENT I Filed July 6, 1966 Sheet of 2 Gertrude 7T Freeman Claude L. Freeman INVENTORS BY WM Jan. 14, 1969 G. T. FREEMAN ET AL 3,421,505

COLO STOMY GARMENT S heet Filed July 6, 1966 Fig.6

Gertrude I Freeman Claude L. Freeman INVENTORS BY -Mm and United States Patent 7 Claims This invention relates to new and useful improvements in colostomy garments, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a highly comfortable garment which may be conveniently worn by colostomy patients for sanitary reception of material discharged through an abdominal opening.

The garment of the invention preferably is in the form of a girdle which not only serves as a support for an external, material receiving pocket, but which, unlike conventional colostomy belts also provides proper support for the abdomen.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of an inverted, substantially U-shaped cushion extending around the top and sides of a circular opening formed in the wall of the garment, such a cushion being disposed at the inside of the garment wall so as to comfortably engage the abdominal region which has been surgically treated.

The material receiving pocket is removably attached to the outside of the garment wall, and another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a shield which is secured to the pocket and extends through the opening in the garment wall so as to overlap portions of the aforementioned cushion, the shield thus eifectively serving as an sanitary protector.

The garment of the invention is simple in construction, comfortable and dependable in use, may be easily kept clean, and lends itself to convenient and economical manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the colostomy garment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view thereof with the pocket partly detached;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view, taken from the inside of the garment and showing the cushion and the shield;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 55 in FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an outside elevational view, partly broken away, of the pocket and associated shield; and

FIGURE 7 is a group perspective view showing the relation of the pocket and shield to the cushion on the inside of re garment wall.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the colostomy garment of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and embodies in its construction an abdomen encircling support which is preferably in the form of a girdle 11. The girdle 11 is of conventional construction, including the usual waistband 12, a front panel 13 and side panels 14, 15. It will be understood that the girdle may be worn by either male or female patients.

As illustrated, the girdle side panel 15 is provided with 3,421,505 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 a circular opening 16 in register with the surgically treated region of the abdomen, and an inverted, substantially U- shaped casing 17 is disposed at the inside of the panel 15. The casing 17 contains an inverted, substantially U-shaped cushion 18 of sponge rubber, or the like, and the inner edge of the casing 17 is secured by stitching to the panel 15 around the top and sides of the opening 16, as indicated at 19. However, it will be noted that the outer edge 20 of the casing 17 containing the cushion 18 is detached from the panel 15, as is best shown in FIGURE 4. If desired, an annular facing 21 may be stitched to the inside of the panel 15 around the opening 16, the inner edge of the casing 17 being bound by the stitching 19 to the facing 21 as well as to the panel 15, as will be apparent.

Provided at the outside of the garment is a removable pocket 22 consisting of inner and outer pocket forming walls 23, 24, respectively, which are stitched together at their marginal edges as at 25. The inner wall 23 of the pocket is provided with a circular opening or aperture 26 in register with the opening 16 in the panel 15, annular edging 27 being stitched to the wall 23 around the opening 26. Moreover, a shield 28 is secured to the pocket wall 23 around the sides and bottom of the opening 26, as by the stitching 29, the shield 28 preferably having a double wall thickness 28a, 28b, marginally stitched together as at 30.

The shield 28 extends from the pocket 22 at the outside of the garment through the opening 16 in the panel 15 to the inside of the panel, where the depending lower portion 31 of the shield depends below the opening 16, while the upper, wing-like side portions 32 of the shield overlap the side portions of the cushion 18 in the casing 17.

Means are provided for removably attaching the pocket 22 to the outside of the garment, such means comprising a plurality of snap fastener elements 33 provided on the inner wall 23 of the pocket 22 around the opening 26, the fasteners 33 coacting with similar fasteners 34 provided on the outside of the panel 15 around the opening 16. Moreover, since the pocket 22 projects above the opening 16, additional snap fastener elements 35 are affixed to the upper edge portion of the pocket, for coaction with fastener elements 36 on the waistband 12.

In addition, means are provided for removably attaching the shield 28 to the inside of the panel 15, such means comprising snap fastener elements 37 secured to the winglike upper portions 32 of the shield, and coacting fastener elements 38 secured to the inside of the panel 15.

It will be apparent that by separating the fastener elements 37, 38, the shield 28 may be withdrawn outwardly through the opening 16 in the panel 15, after the fastener elements 33, 34 and 35, 36 have also .been separated, so that the entire pocket 22 with the associated shield 28 may be removed from the garment.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A colostomy garment, comprising in combination an abdomen encircling support having a panel provided with a circular opening, an inverted substantially U-shaped cushion mounted at the inside of said panel around the top and sides of said opening, a pocket removably attached to the outside of said panel and overlying said opening, said pocket having an inner wall adjacent said panel and an outer wall, the inner wall of the pocket being formed with a circular aperture in register with said opening, and a shield. secured to the inner wall of the-pocket around the sides and bottom of said aperture, said shield extending through said opening to the inside of said panel and overlapping side portions of said cushion.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means for removably securing said shield to the inside of said panel.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 together with an inverted substantially U-shaped casing secured to the inside of said panel at the top and sides of said opening, said cushion being disposed in said casing.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 together with an inverted substantially U-shaped casing disposed at the inside of said panel and secured along its inner edge to the panel at the top and sides of said opening, the outer edge of the casing being detached from the panel, and said cushion being disposed in said casing.

5. In a colostomy garment, the combination of an abdominal panel provided with a circular opening, an inverted substantially U-shaped casing disposed at the inside of said panel and secured along its inner edge to the panel at the top and sides of said opening, an inverted substantially U-shaped cushion provided in said casing, a pocket removably positioned at the outside of said panel and overlying said opening, said po-cket having an inner wall adjacent the panel and an outer wall secured along its marginal edges to the inner wall, the inner wall of said pocket being provided with a circular aperture in register with said opening in said panel, and a shield secured to the inner wall of said pocket around the sides and bottom of said aperture, said shield extending through said opening to the inside of said panel and having 21 depending lower portion below said opening and a pair of Wing-like upper side portions overlappingside portions of said .cushion.

6. The device as defined in claim 5 together with means removably securing said pocket to the outside of said panel and further means removably securing said winglike upper portions of said shield to the inside of the panel.

7. The device as defined in claim 6 wherein said securing means comprise snap-fastener elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,691,375 10/1954 Tasse 128283 2,778,362 1/1957 Pollock et al. 128283 2,788,785 4/1957 Present 128283 FOREIGN PATENTS 657,363 9/1951 Great Britain. 711,179 6/1954 Great Britain.

CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner. 

